Katie Peterson
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He’s a singer and songwriter. He’s a philanthropist. He’s a winemaker. He’s a record producer. In the past several decades, Maynard James Keenan has proven that there is just about nothing that he can’t do. As his fans, we’re here for it and anxiously waiting to see what he pulls out of his sleeve next.
Who is Maynard James Keenan? Find out that and more below.
Who is Maynard James Keenan?
Maynard James Keenan is the singer and primary lyricist of three rock bands – Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. He is also the owner of Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars in Arizona. While he’s lived in the limelight, he has been described as a recluse, although he does occasionally appear for interviews and charitable events.
Related: Tool Captivates with an Incredibly Visual Performance
When was Maynard James Keenan Born?
James Herbert Keenan, aka Maynard James Keenan’s birthdate is April 17, 1964.
Maynard James Keenan’s Zodiac sign is Aries. As an Aries, he is considered passionate, confident, determined, and enthusiastic. Aries are also usually characterized as charismatic, headstrong, confident, and courageous.
Where is Maynard James Keenan From?
Maynard James Keenan was born and raised in Ravenna, Ohio, although he did spend some time during his childhood in Scottsville, Michigan, where his father moved after his parents divorced.
Where Does Maynard James Keenan Live?
Maynard James Keenan has lived in several places, but he is believed to have mainly called Arizona home because of his wine business.
Maynard James Keenan’s Ethnicity
Maynard James Keenan is of Irish and Italian descent.
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How Tall is Maynard James Keenan?
Maynard Keenan’s height is approximately five feet, seven inches tall.
How Much Does Maynard James Keenan Weigh?
Maynard James Keenan’s weight is nearly 168 pounds.
How Did Maynard James Keenan Become Famous?
Maynard James Keenan became famous for his breakout as the singer and primary lyricist for three rock bands – Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. All three bands remain active to this day.
Maynard James Keenan’s Parents
Maynard James Keenan is the son and only child of Judith Marie and Michael Van Keenan. Unfortunately, he was only four years old when his parents divorced, and his relationship with his father stagnated since he only saw him once a year for the next 12 years. Their bond was able to be reformed in high school, though, after he moved in with his father in Scottville. Considered “the best move [he] ever made,” his father was one of his high school wrestling coaches until Keenan graduated in 1982.
This need to change his living environment became necessary when his mother remarried. Because of this, Keenan’s creativity and intelligence were stifled by the “intolerant and unworldly household” he was brought into. To make matters worse, when Keenan was 11, his mother suffered from a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which left her paralyzed. It was caused by a cerebral aneurysm that ruptured. This heartbreaking experience later inspired Maynard Keenan’s songs such as “Wings for Marie,” “The Patient,” and A Perfect Circle’s “Judith.”
Who is Maynard James Keenan Married To?
Maynard James Keenan is married to Jennifer Lei Li, a Caduceus lab manager, to whom he announced his engagement in June 2010. While it is unknown when the pair were officially wed, he referred to his “wife” in a September 10, 2012, article he wrote for Phoenix News Times.
Does Maynard Keenan have two wives? No. He’s happy and content with the one.
Maynard James Keenan’s Children
So, does Maynard have kids? Yes. He has two children. Maynard Keenan’s son, Devo, has a slightly lesser-known history. It’s not completely clear who Devo’s mother is, but we do know that he took after his father when it comes to music. He sang backing vocals on the album Thirteenth Step by A Perfect Circle, was a credited cellist on “Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright” by Ashes Divide, and even gave a solo cello performance when celebrating his father’s 50th birthday at the “Cinquanta” concert.
Maynard Keenan’s daughter, born from his marriage to Li, came into the world on July 25, 2014. Sources have said that his daughter shares her mother’s name.
Maynard James Keenan’s Tattoos
The question is, does Maynard James Keenan have tattoos? The answer is yes. While Keenan only sported a few tattoos for much of his life, he now rocks a half-sleeve down his right arm.
Does Maynard James Keenan Play Any Instruments?
Maynard James Keenan is a multi-instrumentalist. He is skilled in the guitar, keyboard, and piano.
Related: The 20 Best Metal Vocalists of All Time
Did Maynard Go to West Point?
While Maynard Keenan was offered an appointment to West Point due to his distinguished performance in basic and advanced training, he decided to decline in order to pursue his musical passions. Additionally, he declined “because of his disillusionment with his colleagues’ values and because he knew West Point would not tolerate his dissidence.”
Keenan did, however, study at the West Point Prep School from 1983 to 1984.
What Did Maynard Do in the Army?
Maynard Keenan was inspired to join the U.S. Army thanks to Bill Murray and his performance in Stripes, a 1981 comedy film. He reasoned that the G.I. Bill would fund his art school dreams. Prior to studying at the West Point Prep School, he served as a forward observer for the Army.
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Why Did Maynard James Keenan Change His Name?
Maynard James Keenan was serving with the U.S. Army when he adopted the nickname “Maynard.” He said that he made the choice, and it was based on a fictional character he created while in high school.
Why Does Maynard James Keenan Have 3 Bands?
If he wants to have three bands, he can have three bands. But Maynard James Keenan does have a reason for it. He has said the main reason is his need to keep busy.
“It’s just a matter of I do a thing. And I just need to do this thing. And if one of the projects isn’t moving very quickly, I can’t sit still. I have to do this thing. So that’s why the multiple projects. Because some of them just don’t move fast enough.”
Career
Throughout Maynard Keenan’s multi-decade career, he has never stopped working. That all began when he formed Tool with Adam Jones in 1990. By November 1991, the band already had a record deal, signing with Zoo Entertainment and releasing their first extended play (EP), Opiate, the following year.
After going on their first tour, opening for Fishbone and Rage Against the Machine, they followed the EP up with their inaugural studio album Undertow in 1992. The album, which was certified gold within eight months, generated the singles “Prison Sex” and “Sober.”
Although the former was met with a lot of scrutiny, particularly with the video for being “too graphic and offensive” and for being “a symbolic dealing with the sensitive subject of child abuse,” the band didn’t let it get them down. They went on to release their second studio album, Ænima, in September 1996. This time, the album reached gold certification within just ten weeks and earned the band their first Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1998.
Then, things started going downhill for the band as they started getting into legal battles with their record label over contract violations.
During this time, Keenan started looking at other projects, forming A Perfect Circle in 1999 and releasing its first album, Mer de Noms, the following year.
Then, in 2001, Tool was back at it, releasing its third studio Tool album, Lateralus, in May. This album led to Keenan receiving great acclaim for his songwriting because he “doesn’t cross the line from darkness to ugliness … as often as he has in the past.” He later responded to this, saying, “Everything we release with Tool is inspired by our music. It doesn’t matter if it is a video or if it’s lyrics. The lyrics for “Schism” are nothing more than my interpretation of music.”
It reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, was a worldwide success for the band, and earned them their second Grammy Award.
Around this time, it was A Perfect Circle’s turn to continue releasing music. They followed up their debut studio album with their 2003 album Thirteenth Step, which was certified gold within a month of its release.
While Tool and A Perfect Circle continued to grow strong, releasing more albums, embarking on tours, and winning awards, Keenan still wasn’t done with the new projects. In 2003, he released the song “REV 22:20” under the name Puscifer, which was included on the soundtrack for the film Underworld.
Officially known as the pseudonym for any of Keenan’s solo projects, although it has proven to be a much different feel than his other works. He has described it as his “attempt to make music to inspire people. … This is definitely not thinking man’s music, but groove-oriented music that makes you feel good.” Since forming, Puscifer has released such albums as “V” is for Vagina (2007), Donkey Punch the Night (2013), and Existential Reckoning (2020).
It may seem as though maintaining three different bands is excessive, but Maynard James Keenan is living proof that when handled well, you can find success in multiple projects all at the same time!
And they aren’t even his own as he flawlessly delves into comedy and acting and even runs a successful winemaking business at the same time.
It seems there’s nothing this man can’t do, and we’re all about it!
If you want to learn more, check out his autobiography, A Perfect Union of Contrary Things, released on November 8, 2016.
“I think there are a lot of misconceptions with some people that, all of a sudden, I was born when my first band came out,” he said upon the announcement of the book in a January 2013 interview with Phoenix New Times. “I actually had a life before that, and there were a lot of accomplishments. [The book] will kind of chronicle why it is I got to where I am, and why I got to where you knew about me.”
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